Urban Outfitters set for September opening as planning to be lodged at former Debenhams site

Urban Outfitters will operate out of 101 St Patrick’s Street, which has been empty since the 2019 closure of womens-wear store Dorothy Perkins-Evans

The commercial property at 101 Patrick Street, Cork City, currently under renovation and due to reopen as Urban Outfitters.

Urban Outfitters, the go-to store for fashion-forward shoppers, is set to open in Cork City in September, in a boost to the mixed fortunes of the city’s main street.

Separately, movement is afoot at Debenhams, with a planning application due to be lodged shortly for the redevelopment and reuse of the former Roches Stores at 12-17 St Patrick’s Street.

For Urban Outfitters, it’s the first foray by the US fashion chain into the Cork market. It has just one other Irish store, in Dublin’s Temple Bar.

The Cork shop will operate out of 101 St Patrick’s Street, which has been empty since the 2019 closure of womens-wear store Dorothy Perkins-Evans.

The distinctive four-storey bow-fronted building has been redecorated in recent weeks.

The deal that brought the US chain to the city centre was put together by Penrose Wharf-based financial advisory firm, Mc2 Accountants, which owns the 6,000 sq ft building.

Building has been empty since the 2019 closure of womens-wear store Dorothy Perkins-Evans. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“We are delighted to announce that we have agreed terms with Urban Outfitters for 101 Patrick’s St, and they hope to be occupying the premises by the end of September,” said Jim McCarthy, a partner at Mc2.

At one stage, the building was on the market with letting agents Savills, featuring a rent of €230,000pa. However it was bought from its investor owner by MC2 for a sum thought to be between €1-€2m.

Urban Outfitters are the latest in a number of well-known clothing retail brands to set up shop on ‘Pana’, which suffered badly during the pandemic, particularly with the closure — ongoing — of flagship store, Debenhams.

However it is understood a planning application will shortly by lodged in respect of Debenhams that will seek to reinvigorate key frontage onto St Patrick’s Street and Maylor St. The phased development will take place across two blocks, A and B, with four individual units, located within Block A, forming part of the upcoming planning application.

Three of these retail units will be entered from St Patrick’s Street and one from Maylor Street. Proposals for the remainder of the former department store, including the service yard to the rear and the properties of 38-40 Maylor Street, will form part of a separate, later application.

It is understood a planning application will shortly by lodged in respect of Debenhams that will seek to reinvigorate key frontage onto St Patrick’s Street and Maylor St. St Patrick's Street , Cork City. Picture: Larry Cummins.

It’s good news for St Patrick’s Street where fortunes have improved in the past two years, with the arrival of Spanish fashion retail giant Mango —in the former Quills store, which had been vacant since 2010 — and more recently the arrival of Seasalt Cornwall, who took over the former French Connection store at No 86.

Other relative newbies include fashion retailer Flannels at the former Eason store; JD Sport in the former A-Wear store; outdoor wear specialists North Face; UK footwear retailer Dune; fashion jewellers Lovisa at the former Game Stop shop on the corner of Princes St; Carrolls Irish gift shop (formerly Oasis); and jewellery sellers Neve/Diamond Direct, at No 22, the former Cudmore’s, under the banner of Austen & Blake.

Opera Lane, where women’s fashion store New Look recently closed, has new tenants too, including Mountain Warehouse, who took over the lease at the long-vacant Topman.

Urban Outfitters, across the road from due-to-expand Penneys, promises to cater to “trend-aware tastemakers and aspirational teens”.

The chain offers clothing, home goods and accessories for men and women.